Erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence is the inability to get or keep an erection that is firm enough, or lasts long enough, to have successful sexual intercourse. It can have serious effects on a person's sexual relationship and their self-esteem.
Inflatable penile prostheses may be used to cure or compensate for impotence. Inflatable penile prostheses typically include a pair of inflatable cylinders and a pump. The cylinders are implanted in the corpus cavernosa of the patient, and the pump is implanted in the scrotum of the patient. For some inflatable penile prostheses (i.e., three-piece penile prostheses), a separate fluid reservoir must be implanted in the abdomen of the patient. Alternatively, the fluid reservoir may be combined with the cylinders (i.e., two-piece penile prostheses).
The cylinders of the inflatable penile prosthesis are inflated with fluid from the reservoir using the pump to produce an erect condition of the penis. The pump is often a manual pump, such as such as a single pump bulb. A patient pinches the pump bulb with his fingers to drive fluid from the reservoir into the inflatable cylinders. The fluid may be discharged from the cylinders to deflate the cylinders and produce a flaccid penis condition.
Some patients may lack the necessary dexterity and/or strength to apply sufficient pressure to the manual pump to maximize the pressurization of the inflatable cylinders by the fluid. It is, therefore, difficult for such users to place the penile prosthesis in a fully erect condition.